Nightwork

By now, the last of the guests had vanished. I gave silent thanks that Priscilla had arrived on the scene late and that Evelyn had had to go home to mind the baby. Dora was Staring at Priscilla with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging Open. She had told us when we interviewed her that she was looking for a quiet, clean job where she could catch up on her reading. I avoided Fabian's eyes.

'Stop hanging around, for shit's sake,' Priscilla said to the two young men. 'One thing I can't stand is people hanging around.'

The two young men looked at each other and shrugged. They said good night civilly to Fabian and me and told us how much they had liked the paintings. 'Incidentally,' the older of the two said, 'we're not homosexual. We're brothers.' They made their exit with dignity, and a minute later I heard the Lincoln Continental start up and go off.

Fabian bent to pick Priscilla's cape from the floor. He staggered a little and almost fell, but recovered quickly. He put the cape over Priscilla's shoulders. Time to go beddy-bye, dear,' he said. I shouldn't drive m my condition—' At least, I realized gratefully, he wasn't that far gone. 'But Douglas will drive us nice and slowly.'

'Your condition.' Priscilla laughed raucously. 'I know what your condition is, you old goat. Give me a kiss, Daddy.' She held out her arms. 'In the car,' Fabian said.

Priscilla held onto the table. 'I won't budge until I get my kiss,' she said.

With an uneasy glance at Dora. who had shrunk back against the wall, Fabian leaned over and kissed Priscilla, Priscilla wiped her mouth with the back of her hands, smudging her lipstick, 'I heard you can do better than that,' she said. 'What'» the matter - out of practice? Maybe you ought to go back to France.' But she allowed Fabian to lead her to the door.

'Dora,' Fabian called back, 'put out the lights and lock the doors. We'll clean up in the morning.' 'Yes, Mr Fabian,' Dora whispered.

We left her there, not moving, rigid against the wall, as we went out.

Priscilla insisted upon sitting between us in the front seat. "Cuddly,' she said. She had spilled champagne down the front of her dress and the smell was unpleasant. I rolled down my window before I turned on the ignition.

'Now, dear,' Fabian said, 'where are you staying?' ' 'Springs,' Priscilla said. 'That's it. Springs.'

'Where exactly is Springs, dear?' Fabian said patiently. What road?'

'How the hell do I know what road?' Priscilla said. 'Just drive. I'll show you the way.' 'What's the name of the people you're staying with? We could call them and they could give us directions.' Fabian sounded like a policeman trying to get information from a lost child on a crowded beach. 'Surely, you must know the name of the people you're staying with.'

Of course I do. Levy, Cohen, McMahon, something like that. Who cares? A bunch of jerks.' Priscilla leaned over and turned on the radio. The music from The Bridge on the River Kwai crashed through the car. 'Come on, Mr Clean,' she said angrily to me, 'get this crate moving. You know where Springs is, I hope.'

'Go to Springs,' Fabian said.

I started the car. But two minutes after we had passed the sign that read, Welcome to Springs, I knew it would be a miracle if we ever found the house that Priscilla was gracing with her presence that weekend. I slowed down at every fork and crossroad and every house we passed, but Priscilla only shook her head and said, 'No, that's not it.'

No matter how much money we were making from The Sleeping Prince, I thought, as I drove, it wasn't worth this.

'We're just wasting time," Priscilla said. 'I got an idea. I have two girl friends in Quogue. On the beach. You can at least find the Atlantic Ocean in Quogue, can't you?' She didn't wait for an answer. "They're fantastic. Original swingers. You'll love them. Let's go to Quogue and have a gang bang.' 'Quogue is an hour away from here,' Fabian said. He sounded very tired. "So Quogue is an hour away. So what?' Priscilla demanded.

'Let's have some fun.' 'We've had a very long day,' Fabian said.

Who hasn't?' Priscilla said. 'On to Quogue.' 'Perhaps tomorrow night,' Fabian said.

Fags,' Priscilla said.

We were running through woods, on a small, dark back road that I didn't recognize, and I wasn't sure how I could get back to town without roaming all over the Hamptons for hours. I had just about decided to try to make my way back to East Hampton and find a hotel room for Priscilla and dump her on the sidewalk, if necessary, when my headlights picked up a car facing me, pulled over to the side of the road, with its hood up and two men looking down into the motor. I stopped the car and called out, 'I wonder if you two gentlemen could tell me where...'

Suddenly I realized I was looking into the muzzle of a gun.